Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will visit North Carolina following his state visit with President Joe Biden at the White House this week.
Japanese companies have made big investments in North Carolina recently, including the new Toyota battery factory in Randolph County and the HondaJet factory at that company's headquarters in Greensboro. Kishida plans to tour both factories during his visit to North Carolina, according to the governor's office.
“Kristin and I are looking forward to showing Prime Minister and Mrs. Kishida what North Carolina has to offer,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in a news release.
“Japanese investments in our state create thousands of jobs and these companies contribute so much to our communities. This historic visit provides a unique opportunity to showcase the best of North Carolina and continue to build this mutually beneficial relationship,” he said.
Japan is North Carolina's largest source of foreign direct investment, according to the governor's office.
The centerpiece of Kishida's visit will be a State Lunch at the North Carolina Executive Mansion in Raleigh Friday.
Kishida's trip to North Carolina will mark the first time a head of state has visited the state's Executive Mansion, according to the State Archives.
"Award-winning Raleigh Chef Ashley Christensen will prepare a menu that highlights North Carolina’s culinary tradition with contributions from Japanese fare," the governor's office said.
“I am excited for the opportunity to cook for this group of outstanding leaders and to share some of North Carolina’s incredible bounty of ingredients, from land and sea, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida,” Christensen said in the release from the governor's office.
Sam Jones BBQ, which does eastern North Carolin-style whole hog barbecue, is preparing the Thursday lunch for other members of the Japanese delegation and Japanese media accompanying the prime minister on his trip.
“We are honored to be a part of this visit and most excited to share a tradition and foodway that is rooted in eastern North Carolina,” said Sam Jones BBQ's Mitchell Letchworth. “Whole hog BBQ is a North Carolina standard and Sam Jones BBQ is proud to have our food served at such a momentous event.”
Bluegrass band Unspoken Tradition will play a set in the garden outside the Executive Mansion during the lunch.
While the prime minister tours the factories in Randolph and Guilford counties Friday morning, his wife Yuko Kishida will meet with Japanese exchange students and Japanese language students at a high school in Chapel Hill and visit Duke Gardens in Durham.
The prime minister and his wife will also meet with students at North Carolina State University in Raleigh Friday afternoon.